ELLSWORTH – Ellsworth's Cheese Curd Festival has been named to the top 10 list of "Best Specialty Food Festivals" in the United States, coming in at #10 in the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Travel Award Contest for 2023. The designation captured the attention of the Office of the Governor, who presented the Cheese Curd Festival with a Certificate of Achievement, signed by Gov. Tony Evers on behalf of the people of the state of Wisconsin. In addition, the Wisconsin state legislature honored the Cheese Curd Festival, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, and the Village of Ellsworth by adjourning the April 19 legislative session with a tribute to the event.

“The festivals selected for the competition were nominated by a USA Today expert panel,” said Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kim Beebe. “The final winners were then chosen through a voting process by USA Today readers.”

With the award, the Cheese Curd Festival joins the ranks of world-renowned events including Pittburgh's Picklesburgh, Chicago's Windy City Smokeout, Maine's Lobster Festival, and the Waikiki Spam Jam. The award came as a surprise to the festival planning committee.

"We didn't realize the Cheese Curd Festival had even been nominated," said Beebe. "Had we known, we would have tried to rally some votes to come in at #9," she joked.

This isn't the first recognition the festival has received. In 2022, LoveFood named the festival the Best Food Festival in Wisconsin. The event has also been included in many national and regional publications including the most recent issues of Woman's Day and Out & About Wisconsin magazines.

What makes the Cheese Curd Festival a winner to attendees? The festival's planning committee has some insight into that. With the award of a Wisconsin Department of Tourism Joint Effort Marketing Grant in 2017, a survey of attendees was included as part of the reporting process. The event had gone through a revisioning that year and the feedback confirmed to the planning committee that they were on the right track with their changes. "When you're the 'official' Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin, you better have a lot of cheese curd foods and they better be great," said Beebe. "Flavored cheese curds and creative cheese curd dishes by professional food vendors scored high marks, as did the addition of unique tasting experiences such as the popular Corks & Kegs Happy Hour and Milk & Cookie Pairing events."

The location of the festival and friendly atmosphere also rated highly among respondents.

"The park setting is unique and creates an intimate feel. Combined with happy and enthusiastic volunteers and friendly locals and that translates to a feeling of being at a neighborhood block party with friends. It's that vibe that makes the Cheese Curd Festival experience special and something our community should be very proud of," said Beebe.  

Economic benefits

The designation coincides with a record-breaking year in tourism for Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism released 2022 economic impact data, showing the tourism industry generated a record-breaking $23.7 billion in total economic impact. In 2022, there were 111.1 million visits in Wisconsin, which was up 8.8 million visits, or 8.7%, over the previous year. Each Wisconsin household would need to pay $620 to maintain the current level of government services generated by tourism.

Pierce County alone experienced a 7.7% increase in total economic impact due to tourism in 2022. The 2022 Cheese Curd Festival generated a $2.55 million economic impact for the region. Economic impact, or total business sales, takes into consideration the full impact of the tourism dollar as it circulates through our economy.

Much of this impact can be attributed to day trip and overnight visitors from Minnesota and the Twin Cities who are drawn to the county's stunning natural landscapes, rural scenery, unique festivals and events, and wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

"Our proximity to the Twin Cities metro area puts Ellsworth and all of Pierce County in a unique position to leverage tourism for its economic benefits," said Beebe. "Tourism supports businesses, creates jobs, and generates revenue for municipalities through sales taxes. Plus, all the amenities that cater to the needs and wants of tourists can be enjoyed by our local residents, too.

"In a small community like ours, it's those out-of-town visitors who keep our local bars, restaurants, retailers, recreation businesses, orchards, and even some of our non-profit organizations afloat."

The 2023 Cheese Curd Festival will be held in Ellsworth's East End Park and business district this Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24. More information about the event can be found on the festival’s website at www.cheesecurdfestival.co